Blind joyrider who killed girl in car crash while high on drink and drugs jailed for 12 years

A blind teenager who took his mother's car and killed a woman in a joyriding crash while he was high on drink and drugs has been sentenced to 12 years.

Luke Burdakay, 19, from Ipswich, had taken cannabis and was two times over the legal drink drive limit when he careered into 20-year-old Laureen Hammond, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Burdakay, who has severely restricted eyesight, had pleaded guilty to the manslaughter at an earlier hearing.

Jailed: Blind and drunk joyrider Luke Burdakay, 19, was jailed for 12 years for killing Laureen Hammond, 20, in a car crash in Suffolk

The crash happened on an unlit section of the B1083 in Bromeswell, near Woodbridge, shortly after 9.30pm on February 3.

Burkaday had taken his mother's Fiat Stilo when he smashed into Ms Hammond, from nearby Sutton, in her Vauxhall Corsa.

The force of the smash threw her from her seat and she died by the roadside. She had been travelling to an old people's home from her house in Suffolk at the time of the crash.

Burdakay, of Birkfield Drive, was sentenced to 12 years youth detention for manslaughter and three years and four months detention for using a meat cleaver in an attempted robbery of a chip shop in January. The terms will run concurrently.

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Judge John Devaux said that Burkaday had never taken a driving lesson.

He added: 'You did not even stop or slow down after the accident. You took a risk with others who were using the road.

'No sentence at this court can pass can mourn the loss that (the victim's) family has suffered.'

Senior investigating officer Sergeant Bob Patterson said: 'Today's sentencing can never lessen the pain caused to Laureen's family, and they have the deepest sympathy of the police investigation team and myself.

'This terrible collision was caused by the contemptuous actions of a young man.

'He was angry, drunk and stole a car in spite of having severely restricted eyesight. He was registered blind and therefore was never able to be in possession of a driving licence.

'He was then set on an almost inevitable course of destruction; the awful consequence was the loss of an innocent driver, Laureen Hammond.

'Nobody can comprehend the agony and grief Laureen's family have had to endure. I hope that today's sentence will allow them to bring some closure.'

Burdakay was also disqualified from driving for 12 years. The law states that drivers must be able to read a number plate from 20 metres in good light.

In a statement the family said that since the accident they had been 'turned upside down' and were 'distraught'.

'We as a family lost someone very special and the world lost a very caring young lady.

'No words can explain the way we feel. We have paid the ultimate sacrifice in losing Lollie through the actions of this young man who thought that he wouldn't harm anyone. How wrong he was.

'As a family we wish to thank the police, Crown Prosecution Service and the court staff for their continued help and support and to anyone else who, on that tragic night, tried to help Lollie.

'We thank you, knowing Lollie would have thanked you herself.'

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Blind joyrider who killed girl in car crash while high on drink and drugs jailed for 12 years